The Hand of The Angel
by Collarander the Unicorn
Summary: After Meteor, what if Cloud had reached Aeris' hand....Please R&R.
1. The World is Saved

The Hand of An Angel  
  
FF7 does not belong to me, obviously.  
  
But this ficfic does ^^  
  
Now onto the story.  
  
The battle with Sephiroth was won, but the one with meteor was not. As the huge ball of fire hurtled towards the planet, the team of Avalanche awaken to the nightmare they were partly expecting. As they all head for the top of the Northern Crater, the hero of the story, Cloud, turns and looks back. No, the Great Sephiroth was not gone yet, he still had a battle to win with him.   
  
As the other Avalanche members run off ahead, Tifa turns back to watch the spikey haired man.  
  
"He's still here..."  
  
"Who?" Tifa looks around for the source of Clouds agitation but sees nothing.  
  
In a matter of seconds, Cloud feels himself being drawn away from his body and towards a center of power, Sephiroths power.  
  
Knowing he had once one chance with him, Cloud pulls out his Ultima Weapon and immediately uses his strongest attack, Omnislash. He didn't realise it till afterwards, but that attack had drained away most of his life source, but now he had truely won, Sephiroth was gone, and Holy was now able to free itself and save the planet....  
  
As he stands there, totally oblivious to the things happening around him, the ground cracks and a fluild green flows out and around.  
  
"Lifestream?" Cloud watches it fill the air, and as he looks higher, he sees a hand, not a normal hand, no, the hand of the one he has swore to protect, and had failed, the hand of Aeris Gainsborough. He wondered if this was just an illusion, another thing Sephiroth had made up, but it looked too real...  
  
He reaches towards it, wanting to know it was real, to not just be a dream that would disappear. Finally, his hand reached hers, and he was being pulled up, up beyond the planet he lived on, and they were united together again. The planet was beyond his reach now, and so were the people he had cared about, but he was with her, forever and on. He felt like he was flying, finally free from care and loss.  
  
As the planet sent out its weapon against Meteor, Tifa watches as her friend, and secret lover falls down into the pits of fire as the ground beneath them both cracks and breaks.  
  
"Cloud? No! Please wake up! Grab my hand!!!"  
  
As she watches, the ground breaks apart and they fall out of reach, and the spikey haired man, fell to his death.  
  
"No!!!" Tifa continues to stand her ground as she watches the one she loved fall. She was sure that they had won, that they had finished without anymore bloodshed, but at the last moment, Cloud had gone and now she felt more alone then ever, as she continued to watch, the ground shook harder, any minute now it would break and send her to the doom that she had just witnessed.  
  
"Tifa! What are you doing?! We have to go!!!"  
  
A large man with a gun on his arm runs down and grabs her around the waist, he pulls her away to safety.  
  
"Tifa, what were you doing? You could have gotta killed just then!"  
  
"I'm sorry Barret, but Cloud-"  
  
"Where is that spikey anyway?"  
  
"Cloud, he, he fell into the crater........"  
  
"What!?!"  
  
"He was killed....I don't know what happened, he was unconscious, and then I couldn't reach him, and he just fell..."  
  
"......man, I never thought that would happen.......well, lets go then, we can at least see what good we did for the planet.."  
  
Tifa nods and follows Barret off to the Highwind. As they climb onboard, questions fly about the disappearance of Cloud.  
  
"Hey, I thought Cloud was with ya?"  
  
"Is he still down there fighting?"  
  
"He better hurry, or this baby is gonna have to leave."  
  
Barret glares at the other members of Avalanche, making them all stop talking at once, he lets Tifa go off into a room then turns to the others and describes the situation.  
  
*************************************************  
  
Time passes slowly now, a year now has passed since Meteor had been destroyed and the planet was back in peace.  
  
Tifa Lockheart looks out into the sky, there was nothing unusual, just like every other day she had looked up there since the time when Cloud has disappeared, it was funny though, the name being Cloud, she was always expecting something to show up in the clouds to give her a sign of some sort, she didn't know what. Maybe, a sign that he was still alive, but she had seen it with her own eyes, the death he hadsuffered, just like the death of the people in Nibelheim and Midgar.   
  
And she knew, they would never return.  
  
Down in the dark depths of the lifestream, Cloud looks back at the planet he had once been part of, walking on, sleeping on, living on.   
  
He remembers the one he had loved, but had never told, she probably had forgotten him by now, after all, it had been a whole year since that day.  
  
But no, she wouldn't forget, she didn't forget when he set off for Midgar to join Soldier, in fact, she was the one who found him again, after five years...  
  
"Cloud? Are you okay?"  
  
The blond man turns to see the brunet looking at him questionly, and with a note of a sad expression.   
  
He doesn't say anything, so Aeris repeats her question, again to recieve silence.  
  
"I'm sorry, I never thought I would have brought you here......I only wanted to feel the touch of you hand......again."  
  
He still stays in his unmovable state, looking out onto the world he had left behind.  
  
"I shouldn't have done it, it's all my fault this happened.......I'm, I'm sorry Tifa.."  
  
Cloud finally answers the young womans question, "It's not your fault, I wanted to see you again so much....after you died..."  
  
"I wonder if there's a way........to get you back up there..."  
  
"I really doubt that..."  
  
"....or we could just wait till Tifa.......leaves the planet too.."  
  
"I can't wait that long."  
  
"Hey! What are you two doing!?"  
  
The two turn to see a black cloaked man, he strides over to them.  
  
"I was looking for you."  
  
"Sephiroth....you know whats wrong with Cloud."  
  
In the past year, after Cloud had entered the lifestream just after the Great Sephiroth, they had fights, but it didn't in the least make a difference. Here they couldn't die, and they would also be seeing each other for eternity, they just had to get over their disputes they had when they lived on the planet.  
  
"Gee, its been a year, I think she has forgotten you boy."  
  
"Sephiroth! Don't be mean!"  
  
"Well its not he's going to see her for another few years, whats the point of waiting?"  
  
"It's his choice! Leave him alone!"  
  
"Fine! Looks like you still have feelings for him, why don't I just leave you alone."  
  
Sephiroth heads off, his dark cape swirling behind him, Aeris glares at the man until he falls out of sight, then she turns back to Cloud.  
  
"...could you go Aeris......I just wanna be alone for a while...."  
  
"..Are you sure?"  
  
"Yeah....."  
  
Aeris curiously glances at him, then turns and walks off.  
  
Cloud stays sitting on the ground, now wondering what it might have been like, if he hadn't reached her hand, if he hadn't been brought into the lifestream, and away from the woman he loved, Tifa.  
  
Hmmm.....not my best ficfic but review please, I really wanna know what everyone else out there thinks of it. I'm not sure if I'm gonna continue, I have no idea where this ficfic is gonna lead. 


	2. Love Never Gives Up

Tifa looked around, everyone else in Avalanche had gone completely back to their regular lives, and others had begun to open up to happier ones.  
  
But there was nothing left for her, she always thought of the future as being with the one she loved, but it was now impossible.  
  
She looks over at the peaceful town of Kalm, Barret had gone back to Marlene, and now they both shared a nice house. Of course Barret had offered to let her stay, but she just couldn't bear watching the two play together without it reminding her of a child that she and Cloud might of had.  
  
"Barret, I'm going out..."  
  
"Why? It's been so long since then, you should start thinking of your future, intead of the past."  
  
Thumping sounds on the stairs welcome the arrival of little Marlene, who now had proper schooling at Kalm.  
  
"Aunt Tifa, you aren't leaving us are you?"  
  
Tifa bends down to look at the little girl,   
  
"I'm sorry Marlene, but I just...have to."  
  
"No....stay here with papa and me."  
  
"Now Marlene, let your Aunt Tifa make up her own mind..."  
  
They both look at Tifa hopefully, she turns around and heads for the door,  
  
"I'm not going to change my mind, I'm sorry Barret, and you too Marlene, but I just want time alone..."  
  
"You are coming back then Aunt Tifa?"  
  
"....I don't know."  
  
"You have to, promise you'll come back."  
  
Tifa turns to look at Marlene, the look in her eyes soften as she opens her mouth to speak,  
  
"...I promise..."  
  
Then she heads out the door, Tifa looks around, she didn't really have a destination in mind, all she wanted was somewhere peaceful, lonely, somewhere she could be closer to the one she loved.  
  
Outside the town of Kalm, the land was still quite full of monsters, thought Holy had come to take away the evils of the earth.  
  
Tifa still wondered why they were there, were they protecting the planet?  
  
Not too far in the distance, she could make out the shape of the ruined Midgar, and the place which used to be the Shinra Headquarters. Without thinking, she immediately headed for the town, maybe there were secrets there she hadn't figured out, Hojo had done a lot of great research in his time.  
  
Monsters blocked her way as she walked, but her strength and ability had grown after the battle with Sephiroth, and they were no match for her.  
  
As she near Midgar, she could smell the stench of decaying monsters, and humans, the smell making her stomach revolt. It had been a year now, but the smell had not gone away, but the monsters had, now learning of the danger they could face in there, even the strongest monsters stayed out of the area.  
  
She walked through as old path, now covered with layers of dirt and metal, almost making it invisible except that she was used to this place and could remember its layout.  
  
The top plate of Midgar hadn't fallen down to her surprise, but a fell columns had, making a easy path for her to get up to the Shinra HQ.  
  
The eerie silence made her scared, but hse was determined to find some clue, maybe even a way to revive Cloud.  
  
"Cloud? You've been there all day..."  
  
"........"  
  
"Come on, lets go do something fun!"  
  
"........I don't feel like it.."  
  
"...please...?"  
  
"........"  
  
"...I guess I'll go and ask Zack then..."  
  
Aeris walks off away through the green mist, as she disappears from sight, Cloud stands up and walks away from her, away from any other person dwelling in the lifesteam.  
  
"Tifa....I want to go back...why did I do it?"  
  
He looks up at the somewhat green sky, nothing comes to mind but he continues to stare, lost in his own thoughts and memories.  
  
Tifa looks around the area, the entire Shinra HQ had pretty much stayed in shape, but the elevators would have stopped working, Tifa begins to think of which being the better, everything falling to the ground and getting mixed up, or having to climb up about sixty sets of stairs.  
  
The first came to mind, taking the stairs was reminding her too much about Cloud, she still remembered clearly the time when they had come up to save Aeris, and they had climbed up all those stairs, together.  
  
Was every little thing going to remind her of him?  
  
She turned towards the stairscase, still in near perfect condition, she began to trudge up it, not sure how long it would take, but now not caring, she would get there.  
  
"Hey Cloud, old buddy!"  
  
"....."  
  
"Aeris said you were a bit down lately, so I decided to get you to go and have some sword practice."  
  
"...go ask Sephiroth..."  
  
"Nah, the guy's too good, come on, I haven't trained against you for ages."  
  
"...well, I did beat Sephiroth didn't I?"  
  
"...yeah, well, I've gone up against Sephiroth too much, I wanna go against you!"  
  
".......go find someone else, I don't want to."  
  
Zack goes over to Cloud and grabs his arm, being filled with mako, Zack was able to drag Cloud all the way to the training courts, but only because the blond wasn't resisting.  
  
Zack drops Cloud then heads off to get his sword, he returns with Cloud still in the position he was dropped in.  
  
"Aren't you even gonna move?"  
  
".........."  
  
"Com'on Cloud, make it just like old times, like at Shinra!"  
  
".....I hate Shinra..."  
  
"...But we had fun, 'member? We were best friends, and now it's like I don't even know you."  
  
"...It's been 7 years Zack..."  
  
"So? It doesn't change anything."  
  
"Yes it does......."  
  
"...com'on, cheer up will ya?"  
  
"......I'm gonna go."  
  
"Cloud-"  
  
"Just leave me alone..."  
  
Cloud stands up and heads for the far side of the lifestream again, Zack watches him leave, but doesn't say anything or try to stop him.  
  
Aeris come over, she watches Cloud leave then turns to Zack,  
  
"I guess he didn't want to train..."  
  
"Yeah, he doesn't even move most of the time, I don't see why he's still like that...its been a whole year now."  
  
"...he loved Tifa so much."  
  
"Just like I love you."  
  
"Finally!"  
  
Tifa turns back to look at the stairs she had just conquered, the happiness coming up in her for only a second until she gets the memorie of Cloud again.  
  
She looks around, the books Hojo owned were all over the floor, she wouldn't know where to look first.  
  
Next chapter up, still no ideas for where this story will actually lead.   
  
But please review people. ^^ 


	3. Determination and Desperation

What do you think if the ficfic?  
  
I dunno how to end it, the plot is hard to come up with.  
  
And ummm....I just realised that the spaces I put between the parts of Cloud and Tifa aren't very clear, so now it'll have a line of this **************** to mark the change of scene. and thoughts are marked with a * at the beginning and end.  
  
Well onto the story.  
  
Cloud looked up at the sky of bright green, the Lifestream flowed around continously, making the place have no night or day.  
  
It reminded him of the slums of Midgar, but then, he was with Tifa when he was in the slums.  
  
He walked about, the Lifestream was huge, probably infinite, he had always tried to find a way out, but there was none.  
  
He was dead, all he could do now was wait...  
  
###########################################  
  
"Why are there so many books here!?"  
  
Tifa looked around the room, her spirit falling as she continued the look at all the books she still had to go through.  
  
"..How do I even know if there is a way?! What if it's all for nothing?!"  
  
She stood up and kicked the books around, trying to find a way to relieve herself of the anger that was boiling up inside her.  
  
The books went flying around the room, pages floating in the air, Tifa looked down, one of the books on the ground had opened from her kicks and the heading caught her eye.  
  
She picked it up, reading the article,  
  
The Lifestream  
  
My theory on the possibility of bringing back a spirit from the so called 'Lifestream'.  
  
My research has shown maybe a small chance or reviving a life. If my experiment proves successful, I may be able to bring back an Ancient. Then my research will continue again...  
  
Result of test No. 1.  
  
Using the more concentrated form of Lifestream, or materia, I have tried to bring it back into a body of a deceased organism.  
  
It hasn't not proved successful, the result of this experiment was a reaction that destroyed the body.  
  
Result No. 2.  
  
I have placed a dead organism into the mako chamber. The spirit energy may be attracted to the empty shell, and may try to regenerate it. This experiment have also not proved very successful, the Lifestream does the opposite and stays away from the body.  
  
Result No. 3.  
  
This may be my last test on this. My failures on this are taken in great account, no other experiment has failed so badly. I will see it live humans can be placed in mako. Thus making a home for a second spirit to enter, any spirit that has gone, even an Ancient.  
  
I will have to do this experiment out of Shinra. They will not agree for something they think is dangerous, no, this will be MY experiment, and until I have proof of its success, it will remain a secret from all others...  
  
"Experiment outside Shinra? People placed in Mako?"  
  
Tifa looks at the page, mouth open wide. "It must of been those people in Nibelhiem...in the reactor.I can't believe it....Hojo did all that behind everyones backs....but if he couldn't find a way.....does that mean it's not possible?"  
  
She places the book down and continues to sort throught the broken pages of memories.  
  
**********************************************************************************  
  
I don't know what to do.....Cloud's been like that for so long, I thought he would get over it....But it's been an entire year. What should I do?"  
  
Aeris looks at her parents hopefully, Professor Gast and Ifalna ponder the thought as Aeris sits there, waiting patiently for an answer.  
  
"Aeris...I don't think you can do anything. He has to make up his own mind..."  
  
"But mom, I just can't sit here and watch him act like that..."  
  
"Dear, your mother is right, don't force him to do anything. He's already had a hard life."  
  
"But-"  
  
"No buts Aeris, did I ever teach you to do anything like that when we were alive?"  
  
".....no mom."  
  
"But Aeris, I will try to talk to him about it. That young man has been overacting I think."  
  
"Oh, thanks mom!"  
  
Cloud sits in front of a flowing stream, the water is naturally clear and completely clean. But with the green sky of mako, the water glows faintly from the light of the emerald sky.  
  
Cloud stares at the water, wondering when it all went wrong in his life. Had it been when he came to Nibelhiem with Sephiroth? No, it had to be when he had left for Soldier, when he just left her behind or maybe, when he had followed her into the mountains when they were young.  
  
"Cloud? Cloud are you feeling all right?"  
  
"What?....oh...I'm fine Ifalna..."  
  
"You might want to rest, and come over and join everyone else. You've been so distant with eveybody since you came here..."  
  
"I don't want to talk to anybody..."  
  
"...Cloud, I know how you feel, I've been the same, but you must let go of it for now."  
  
"I can't! My entire life was for her, everything I did, everything I felt! Don't you understand!?!"  
  
Ifalna takes a step back, she wasn't expecting such an outburst, but she knew they were on the right track now.  
  
"Just let it all out Cloud..........."  
  
"....I leaving."  
  
Cloud stands up and walks off, Ifalna watches him, *he's lost so much...I wonder if he'll ever recover..*  
  
***************************************************************************************************  
  
"There has to be a way!!!"  
  
Tifa walks out of the Shinra building, her face showing the full extent of her depression. As she passes through the old sector 5, she looks around, her eyes fall on the old church. *Why is it still standing?*  
  
Curious, she walks over to the building and looks it over. She gently eases the door open, and to her surprise, the middle of the room was full of bright vibrant flowers.  
  
"Wow! How can they still be growing here, no one is looking after them or anything!"  
  
She runs over to the flowers, her depression lost in the sight of the one thing that was never seen in the slums.  
  
As she reached towards one of the stems, the memory of Aeris hit her like a brick, her hand flew back.  
  
*Aeris is with him...he won't be lonely, of course......"  
  
She reached again timidly at one of the flowers, "Maybe he's forgotten all about me..."  
  
As her fingertips touched one of the bright petals, the feeling of life and happiness flowed into her, she pulled the flower out and held it close to her, feeling like she did when Cloud had handed her a flower at her old bar.  
  
"No.....he didn't........I know he won't have forgotten me..he never forgot when he went off to join Soldier, and that was two years I never saw him........"  
  
With renewed confidence, she stands up and heads for the door, flower in one hand, and determination in the other.  
  
**************************************************************************************************  
  
  
  
*What am I doing?*  
  
Cloud looks around, he was alone, completely alone now.  
  
The silence surrounded him, making him feel lost.  
  
*Why did I just turn away from everyone?*  
  
Looks farther into the distance,  
  
*Because I miss her.....Tifa...*  
  
"Why did I do it?!"  
  
He pulls out his sword and begins to swing it around furiously, but with nothing to hit, his feeling of helplessness grew.  
  
A pair of green eyes watched him from a distance, Aeris stood there, not knowing what to say or do.   
  
Maybe Ifalna was right, he should just let it all out and solve it himself.  
  
But she couldn't let this continue, everytime she saw the look of anguish on his face she felt horrible, she wanted to go over to Cloud and hit him, yell at him, to stop all of this...  
  
But she couldn't, she couldn't interfere, he had to make up his own mind.  
  
Aeris stays there watching him, knowing no harm could be done to him while he was in the Lifestream.  
  
He shouts of anger and thrusts of his sword echoed around the silent land, it flew around the air, the sky. Aeris knew everyone else could hear it, but no one would stop him.  
  
Finally the sound of his yelling voice broke her mind, she ran over to him and grabbed him. He glanced at her in surprise, but then continued with his ramblings, she shook him, making his voice come out ragged.   
  
"Cloud!!! Stop it!!!"  
  
"Why did I do it?!?!"  
  
"Cloud! Please!!"  
  
"Tifa! Don't leave me!!!"  
  
"........Cloud...CLOUD!!"  
  
He continues to shout at a being unseen to Aeris. She watches him in fear as he stumbles past her,   
  
*He's delirious...*  
  
Aeris watched him, as he wandered further from the place they were standing, finally he disappeared from view, and Aeris turned around to head back to her friends and family.  
  
************************************************************************************************  
  
I took so long to finish this chappie, I hope people are still reading this...  
  
I'll try to get the next chap in quicker.  
  
Well, please review. ^_^ 


	4. Losing Hope

Well..........good news, I finally figured out a ending for this fic, though some people might hate it...  
  
But, you'll have to wait for me to finish this ficfic before you can see it.  
  
And hey, if I get some more reviews for this ficfic, it could beat my Hojo bashing one ^_^  
  
Here's the next chappie.  
  
********************************************************************************  
  
Tifa walks through the forests outside Midgar, she didn't really have an idea for what to do in mind.   
  
She had decided to head to Mideel, the place where the Lifestream flowed up onto the surface of the world, then she would feel closer to Cloud, though she wouldn't be able to feel him, or speak to him.  
  
She had earlier called Cid on the PHS, he was heading towards Midgar, but it would take quite a while for him to reach her, so she went off to train a bit.  
  
The monsters were painfully easy for her to beat, how much stronger had she gotten since that time, about a year and a half ago when she was a member of Avalanche, and Cloud was by her side?  
  
She wandered for the while, trying to get her mind off everything she had been through with the spikey haired man she loved, but to no avail.  
  
The sound of propellors above her signalled the arrival of Cid, as the Highwind landed, leaves and dust arose from the ground and filled the air, making it hard to see or breath.  
  
Tifa ran towards the large aircraft, as she got closer, she could make out a shape in the pilot's seat, of course, it had to be Cid. She reached up and grabbed the ladder, then climbed up.  
  
She walked over to Cid, he hadn't asked her why she had planned to head to Mideel, and she was happy he didn't, he would only tell her to get over the past. But before even a minute passed, Cid had blurted out the question. Tifa looked at him, not sure what to say.  
  
"Well?" Cid asked as Tifa stood there in silence.  
  
Finally, she knew she couldn't lie to an old friend, she told him everything she was trying to do.  
  
"What the $#&$ are you trying to do?!? You can't change anything that happened back then! #%^^%&*!!"  
  
Tifa looked at the old pilot and smiled, she had always found him quite funny, and she also knew she would not change her mind, it didn't matter what anyone else said, she wanted to be with Cloud.  
  
"Please Cid?"  
  
"What the $%^!! Fine!!! But you won't be able to do anything there!!"  
  
Cid starts the engines and the Highwind takes to the skies.  
  
********************************************************************************************  
  
*Tifa, I'm going crazy without you! I want to be with you! I can't wait......I need you!*  
  
Cloud collapses to his knees, lost in his own depression. He looked around the dense green fog, no one was anywhere in sight. He was too far from the people that lived in the Lifestream, because he didn't want to be near them.  
  
There was only one person he wanted, and it had been the one he had always liked, why was it that when he finally had the guts to say so, they were separated?  
  
"....this isn't the Lifestream...I thought people were happy in the Lifestream..."  
  
A laugh sounded from the distance, the sound rung in his ears and continued to echo.  
  
"But everyone is happy...that is , except for me."  
  
He walked on, if he couldn't be with her, then what was the use of being around other people that were happy?  
  
"Tifa, I'll wait for you here....."  
  
Aeris looked around, Cloud had left after she threw her fit at him a few days ago, but he hadn't returned.  
  
She was worried, even through all the anger she had at him, she was still concerned.   
  
*Should I go and look for him? But everyone told me not to, but I'm worried, even if this is the Lifestream....he can't get hurt, physically, but look at him.....He's lost his mind...*  
  
She looked out a window for her house, which she shared with her parents. Ifalna came down, saw the look on her daughter's face and knew exactly what she was thinking about.  
  
"Please Aeris, just let him be, I'm sure he'll get better."  
  
"But Mom, you didn't see him before, he was....crazy, didn't know where he was or anything....and it's been a year, and look at him, he's not getting better, he's getting worse!"  
  
But Ifalna continued to look another way, she wouldn't let her daughter go back out to look for him. And through all the times she had said Cloud would probably get better, she knew it would probably never happen until this girl 'Tifa' appeared.  
  
Aeris noticed the look on her mother's face, she was obviously upset about Cloud, but the look she had now read something alot more different.  
  
"Mom! You know something else that you won't tell me!!! I know you do! Tell me!!!"  
  
****************************************************************************************  
  
The Highwind lands on the ground outside Mideel, Tifa steps out, with a small thanks, she heads towards the town as Cid watches her and shakes his head.  
  
The town was in much better shape. The buildings were all back up again, and it looked like the disaster that had hit Mideel never happened, but Tifa didn't pay even the smallest amount of attention at that. She headed directly for the pool of Lifestream.  
  
The green substance swirled round and ripples formed on its surface, but the feeling of its peacefulness surrounded the air around it. Tifa sat down next the the pool, her eyes focused on the center of the ripples the wind created on the surface of the Lifestream, she didn't have anything in mind really, she just wanted some sign that might show her that her mission was possible, that she wasn't just wasting her time.  
  
A bubble formed and popped in the Lifestream, making Tifa whirl around to stare at it, did it mean anything?  
  
She didn't know how long she stayed there, it didn't matter to her, she didn't have anywhere to go. When she had been fighting with Avalanche against Shinra and Sephiroth, she had always thought that in the end, she would finally be able to tell Cloud how she felt about him, and know he felt the same. Then they would both live together, happily ever after...  
  
But who was she kidding, happily ever after? Nothing ever ended with that, there was always something that wasn't seen, the aftermath, and all the problems that would occur in it. She had been so naive, all the problems in the world wouldn't be solved because of an act that saved the world.  
  
"......Cloud...why does something always happen to me...to us. Something always ruins our lives....why?"  
  
She stared at the Lifestream, half expecting to hear Cloud's voice telling her not to worry, that everything would be alright. But he was gone, she couldn't stop worrying, and nothing was alright.  
  
She wanted to be with him, she had waited too long, after Nibelheim, Shinra and Sephiroth, nobody could keep her away that long!  
  
Standing up, she looked into the depths of the Lifestream, could she maybe join him if she went in there?  
  
"...what should I do Cloud? I can't make up my mind...."  
  
She edged closer to the flowing substance, she had to, it was now of never. A life of happiness, or a life of meaningless torture.  
  
She continued to inche forward towards the pool, her brain trying to make her mind as she got closer. A few feet from the pool, she stopped.  
  
This was going to be the last time she saw this world, that she saw her friends, until they followed her into the Lifestream, back into the planet's consciousness.  
  
*****************************************************************************************  
  
Well, anothe chappie or two will finish this ficfic off. Please keep reviewing, I need to know that even one person is still reading this fic. 


	5. One Small Step

So.....I've figured it out, there is gonna be one more chappie after this one...  
  
Though, this one might be abit short, I think...  
  
Well, here goes...  
  
**********************************************************************************************  
  
"Tifa!!! What are you doing?!"  
  
Cid runs up the slope towards the long haired girl as she lingered on the edge of death.  
  
"What the #$^&$ do you think you're doing?! Tifa! Get a hold of yourself!!!"  
  
The girl doesn't turn around, she continues to look down, at the pool of emerald Lifestream. Cid stops a few feet away from her, afraid that if he went too close, Tifa might actually jump.  
  
"...Tifa, you can't do anything about it...."  
  
She still doesn't turn around, but her reply was clearly directed to him, ".....all my life, I wanted to tell him...and I was too afraid..."  
  
"He knows you love him, it was $#%#^ clear to everybody..."  
  
"...but when I finally told him, he dies....and..."  
  
"and what?! You're gonna $#%&$ kill yourself for him?!"  
  
"....I want to be with him."  
  
"Tifa! It's over, Cloud is dead!!"  
  
Tifa doesn't say anything else, she quavers on the spot, but doesn't really move towards or away from the pool.   
  
"I'm gonna call Barrett, maybe he can't get into your $%^$ mind!"  
  
The sound of the PHS rings in her head, *It's now or never Tifa...you can't do it when everyone else comes...*  
  
"...you stay right there Tifa....I'm gonna go get Barrett."  
  
".......Cloud....I want to be with you....but what will everyone else think..? They'll think I'm weak, a coward...."  
  
She stands there, five minutes passed, ten minutes....  
  
*Cid'll be back soon.......I have to."  
  
The air around started to swirl and become stronger, *...what's going on..?*  
  
The sound of the propellors on the Highwind rings in her ears a few seconds later.  
  
*They're back..........*  
  
The sound of the engine stops, Cid, Barrett and Marlene run towards the town of Mideel. Their footsteps thunder up the track to the pool of Lifestream.  
  
"TIFA!!!!"  
  
".....it's now or never..........Cloud, I'm coming."   
  
**********************************************************************************************  
  
"....................Tifa......."  
  
Cloud, now lost in his own mind, continues to wander the Lifestream.  
  
He was losing to himself, the only thing he could think about was the one he loved, nothing else mattered. If he couldn't see her, speak to her, or feel her, what was the point of life? What was the point of his very existence?  
  
He walked on, losing his sight on everything he had known, except the one thing that he had always wanted, but was always denied.  
  
**********************************************************************************************  
  
"Mom....tell me, please. I can tell you know something!"  
  
Ifalna looks at her daughter sadly, how could she tell her daughter the truth.  
  
"..........Mom...........please...."  
  
Aeris looks at her mother, her eyes near the verge of tears, why wouldn't she say anything? She continues to question her mother, and after attempt after attempt, she finally burst into tears. She wanted to know so much, why wouldn't she say?  
  
".............Mom! You have to tell me!"  
  
Ifalna looks at her daughter, in tears, she had never cried like that, even when Hojo had done the experiments on her. Aeris was feeling worse than ever, and it was because of her mother...  
  
"...........please?"  
  
Finall, unable to hold the secret inside her any longer, Ifalna looks at the ground as she speaks to her daughter.  
  
"....your friend Cloud, he has lost too much to be happy here..."  
  
"What does that mean.....?"  
  
"He won't ever be happy here, not until 'Tifa' arrives....."  
  
"I already know that-"  
  
"And the Lifestream does not let people here stay unhappy for their life..."  
  
"But he's been here a year now..."  
  
"So, his spirit will be returned to the 'upper world'...."  
  
"That's good, isn't it?"  
  
"In the form of a new life form..."  
  
"He'll be born as a baby...? But that means..."  
  
"He won't be able to see Tifa, in fact, he............won't even know who she is..."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"....and when Tifa returns to the planet, Cloud will not be here for her..."  
  
"...but, then that means that Cloud......will be gone.."  
  
"...I'm afraid so......."  
  
"I can't let that happen! It was my fault this all happened in the first place!!!"  
  
Aeris' eyes dart to the door, her mothers eyes follow hers.  
  
"I have to go and tell him!!!"  
  
Aeris runs over to the door, Ifalna follows her, and blocks the door.  
  
"Mom! What are you doing?!"   
  
"I'm sorry Aeris, but you cannot go and tell him this...."  
  
"Why?!"  
  
"....because the Lifestream does not permit it.."  
  
"So? I don't care!"  
  
"....Aeris dear, you cannot go and tell him even if I let you go..."  
  
"...but why??"  
  
"....I truely do not know dear, it is just another rule that lets everyone live happily in the Lifestream..."  
  
"Is that how they do it?! They throw out the people that actually are miserable!?!?"  
  
"........"  
  
"I can't let that happen to Cloud! Get out of the way!!"  
  
Ifalna thinks for a few seconds *Maybe she will have to learn herself...* Then finally, reluctantly steps out of the way to let her daughter through.  
  
*******************************************************************************************  
  
"Cloud!!!"  
  
The spikey haired man stops, but doesn't turn around. Aeris runs over to him, the words flying out her mouth.  
  
"Cloud, don't do this to yourself! If you do-"  
  
Aeris stops in her line all of a sudden. As she tries again, the attempt makes her head spin. *Why can't I tell him...?* Aeris thinks as she looks up hopefully at Cloud. He turns around, trying to make out her words, but only a questioning look comes out.  
  
"....Cloud..."  
  
********************************************************************************************  
  
Nearly there, one more chapter to finish this off...  
  
I only got one review for the last chapter.....I wonder if anyone else is still reading this fic...? If nobody are then what's the point of finishing this fic...............? Ah well, one more chapter and then this story is done. 


	6. A New Beginning

The Last Chapter!  
  
I have nothing else to say.....so onto the story...  
  
************************************************************************************************  
  
Aeris looks at Cloud, he looks back at her as she tries to tell him of the fate that would befall him if he kept with that attitude. But nothing seemed to come out whenever she reached that part of her speech.  
  
She looks around wildly, trying to find another way to communicate with him, she stumbles about for a few minutes, finally finding a pad and pen.  
  
".....Cloud, you have to know what you're doing to yourself..."  
  
"What are you talking about.......?"  
  
Aeis quickly scribbles onto the paper, but the minute the words she wanted to use came from her mind to the pencil to her paper, the pair of items all burst into flames. She quickly dropped them both, staring at them in shock and surprise.  
  
"What are you doing?............coming to show me a new trick you learned.....?"  
  
"........no..."  
  
"....Just stay away from me Aeris, I don't have anything to say to you."  
  
"But........"  
  
Cloud turns around and walks away, Aeris could feel it in the air, the Lifestream was coming to collect his life force, if she didn't do anything now, he would be gone forever.   
  
She looked up at him, a faint green mist seemed to surround his body, making him look like fog or something less solid.  
  
"Cloud no!!!!"  
  
He doesn't turn around, but continues on, unaware of the effect of the mist around him. Aeris stands there, not sure what to do, finally she makes up her mind, she dives at him.......  
  
***********************************************************************************************  
  
"Tifa!!!"  
  
Cid, Barret and Marlene come up the slope, nearly coming in sight of the brown haired girl.  
  
".............I'm sorry everyone..."  
  
She leans forward, her body falls towards the liquid fog. As she goes deeper, she feels the Lifestream come over her. The sound of footsteps ring in her ears as the trio arrive, but it was too late to change now.  
  
She sinks away from her friends, their shouting becomes faint then dies away as she loses sight of the world above.  
  
"........I'm coming Cloud."  
  
Cid reaches the pond of Lifestream first, Barret and Marlene taking up the rear.  
  
"....#$%^$!!!"  
  
Cid looks down at the pond, gaping speechlessly at the hole, Tifa had jumped, he knew it. As Barret comes thundering up, Cid shakes his head sadly.  
  
"What?!?!"  
  
Barret comes up beside Cid, looking at the pool of Lifestream. Marlene comes over, not seeing the expression on their faces, she asks innocently,  
  
"Where is Aunt Tifa?"  
  
The two adults turn to look at her, not saying a word. SoMarlene repeats her question. Barret finally answers her question,  
  
".....Tifa, is gone..."  
  
"What do you mean papa?"  
  
".............."  
  
"....you mean, like the flower girl..?"  
  
"..yes Marlene, like the flower girl......"  
  
"No! Aunt Tifa said she'll come back!!! She can't go!"  
  
"Marlene, please-"  
  
"Aunt Tifa, you promised!!!.........."  
  
Marlene bursts into tears, her eyes shinning with the water, she turns and runs off into the town of Mideel.   
  
"Marlene! come back!"  
  
Barret chases his daughter into the town, Cid stays where he is, still looking at the last place the long, browned haired girl had been standing.  
  
".....Tifa, $%#&! Why did you do it..?"  
  
Cid looks around, looking for a sight of Barret or Marlene heading back to the place where he stood. He stood there for a few minutes, no sign of the two, so he goes and pulls out some flowers from a nearby bush. He places the flowers next to the pool of Lifestream, just as Barret and Marlene, teary eyed, returned.  
  
They all stand there for a minute in silence, except for a occasional sniff from Marlene. Then they all go to the Highwind, it was time to tell everyone else the tragedy.  
  
***********************************************************************************************  
  
Aeris hits the ground hard, she had passed right through him, he was nearly transparent now. She looked at him sadly, trying to hold back tears.  
  
Cloud finally notices the situation he was in, but doesn't to fight it,   
  
"..........I can't stay here without her Aeris......."  
  
Cloud doesn't say anything else, he stays still as his form slowly dissolves. Aeris stays where she is, there was no point trying if he wasn't.  
  
As he continues to go away, he looks at the brown haired girl before him,   
  
"...........Goodbye Aeris.."  
  
"............Goodbye......Cloud......."  
  
***********************************************************************************************  
  
Tifa heads down. Her body flows down the Lifestream to the area where all the spirits lived. She looked around, there were some houses coming into her view, as she got closer, she looked around for a sight of a spikey haired man, but instead, her eyes lingered on the girl in pink.  
  
"........Aeris..?"  
  
She comes to land in front of the older girl, who was still sitting on her knees, facing down to the ground and not noticing she was there.  
  
"............Aeris."  
  
The other girl finally looked up, the look of surprise making her eyes look huge,   
  
"Tifa?!? What are you doing here?!?"  
  
".....I came.....for Cloud."  
  
"...........Cloud?"  
  
"Yes, where is he......?"  
  
But the look in Aeris's eyes gave away the event of Cloud's departure much faster than words. She tried to turn away, to hide the look she had on her face, but Tifa had understood, Cloud was gone.  
  
".......no.......Cloud, can't really be, can he?"  
  
Aeris looked sadly at the other girl's face, then finally answered..."..........yes."  
  
"No!!!! Cloud.................you can't leave me here...........alone.....Aeris! Where is he really?!?"  
  
The girl in pink doesn't answer, there was nothing else to say, he would be gone by now, there was nothing anyone could do now.  
  
"...........please Aeris!"  
  
She finally raised her hand off the ground, her finger pointed to the last place he had been standing, his place of departure from her.  
  
Tifa turns to look at the spot where she is pointing, she reaches out timidly to the area, half expecting something solid, and half expecting air.   
  
"....Cloud?"  
  
Aeris watches her, as she reaches for the area of air. What would she do when she realised he was gone? Never to return to her again.....  
  
She couldn't stand to think of the girl in front of her, who had given up her entire life for something that was now out of reach of her forever. She stands up, wanting to get away from all the pain and hurt that surrounded her, there was always something there that would destroy happiness. Nothing was ever perfect...  
  
"..........Tifa............is that you.....?"  
  
Aeris froze in her footsteps, she whirled around. Tifa stood there, the hand she had reached out was giving off a strange glow, which extended to form an outline of a spikey haired man.   
  
The three of them all stood in silence, in complete stillness, wondering if movement would break them apart. Even the air around them seemed to stop flowing, they all became lightheaded as the flow of oxygen became weak to their lungs and everything felt strange around them. At that exact moment, the place where Cloud had stood gave off a huge flash of light.   
  
Aeris fell back onto the ground, the lightspots on her eyes stopping her from seeing an inch from her face. She looked around, hoping to see someone. She waited, the light dissolving from her eyes as her ability to see widened.  
  
Finally, she saw something, two figures were standing there, in front of her. They were together again, Cloud and Tifa.   
  
Forever and on.  
  
She stood there, watching the two, they didn't seem to notice her there, so she turned and headed back to the town of people. As she took a step away from the couple, Cloud looked up and turned towards the sound,  
  
"........Thanks, Aeris."  
  
She smiled, that was all she needed to feel better now, she walked off leaving the two alone in the Lifestream.  
  
***********************************************************************************************  
  
Whew, what did everyone think? Good or bad?  
  
I'm going to put in a small, extra chapter(can't remember what you call those) after this chapter. So come back soon, and review! I wanna hear some people's opinions on this fic overall! 


	7. Epilogue: The Promise

Well, here it is.......the epilogue.( thanks to Yuffie Krisaragi for giving me the word.)  
  
It's gonna be short, I think.  
  
***********************************************************************************************************  
  
Marlene looks out the window from her house in Kalm an entire week had passed, the sun was setting, casting a warm orange glow over the town. She still wondered if everything was a dream, Tifa leaving her, the time when Aeris was killed, the dropping of the plate in Midgar, Avalanche, the fire that had killed her mother in Corel.  
  
But all the proof she needed for the events to have happened were right in front of her, the ruins of Midgar stood in the distance, leaving a mark of the past within everyone who saw it.  
  
The last seven days for her were the worst in her life, her school marks had dropped immensly, and Barret had been imformed of it. He had tried to cheer her up, even though he was also down in the dumps.  
  
Marlene felt terrible, when her mother had died, she turned to Tifa later as the replacement, and now that Tifa was gone as well, what could she do? She wanted to be just like everyone else, everyone at her school had parents that hadn't suffered pain and death, why was she the one?  
  
The sky became dark now, she had been staring at the sky for an hour without realising it.   
  
"...........Aunt Tifa..........you promised me you would come back...."  
  
"Marlene! You should be sleeping, you have school tomorrow."  
  
"......but papa...."  
  
"......I know you still feel bad about your Aunt Tifa, we all do....but you can't change the past."  
  
".....I wish mama was still here..."  
  
"I do too Marlene.......now I think you should go to bed."  
  
"......okay papa."  
  
The little girl climbed into her bed, the thoughts still stuck in her head. What if papa dies too.......? Marlene couldn't bear thinking about it, she would lose everything she ever had, it had been like that her entire life, everyone she cared about always seemed to leave her behind.  
  
Why?  
  
The tears finally came, she heard the door open again, knowing it was Barret checking up on her, she turned towards the wall and pretented to be asleep, trying to hide her tear from him.  
  
The door closed with a small thud, Marlene looked up at the roof, the curtains were still open and the stars were shinning brightly in the sky. It was a peaceful night, but she couldn't sleep, the troubles in her mind kept her awake.  
  
What was the point in even trying to sleep, she knew she couldn't, just like the past nights since Tifa had died, all she could do was lie there and think, she wanted to see her, to know that she still had someone to look after her, sure Barret was her father, but she needed a mother, someone who could explain to her everything and help her at school. Barret had a job and even with all the time he spent with Marlene, she didn't seem to think he understood the way she was thinking or the was she did things.  
  
She stood up and headed for the door, she could hear voices, Barret had guests. She opened the door an inch and looked out, Barret was sitting at the table with a man who she recognised as Cid and a woman sitting next to him, she wondered if that woman was Cid's wife?  
  
The woman spoke, "I think Marlene is still quite brave for her age, she's been through much more in her life than she should have.."  
  
"What is that suppose to mean?! You think I've been lookly after her badly don't you?!"  
  
"Barret! Don't you %$^*$# talk like that to Shera! She was only making a comment!"  
  
"%^&%$#%^#!!! She said I was mistreating Marlene!!!"  
  
"....I didn't say that......"  
  
"See! Stop acting like a bigshot and taking everything the wrong %$^&^$ way!"  
  
Barret and cid were fuming at each other, Marlene backed away from the door, she was afraid, as the two men stood up, Shera ran in between them,   
  
"Stop it!!! Both of you!"  
  
"Shera get out of the %$^&$ way!!"  
  
"Move it woman!"  
  
While the three began to verbally fight again, Marlene quickly crept out of the door and out of the house. She wasn't the only one suffering from the death of friends and family, but at least she could control herself.  
  
She looked around at the town of Kalm, it definetly was calm, except for the faint sounds coming from her house showing that the three were still fighting.  
  
She began to walk, when she reached the edge of the town, she continued out until she could only see the houses faintly when she turned around. Sitting down on the ground, she began to think again, about everything that was happening to her and everyone she loved.  
  
A growl echoed in the distance, she whirled around, scared, she started to run, her footsteps pounding on the ground, she only stopped when she reached the sea. In front of her, water lay, waves crashed gently on the edge between land and sea. She watched it, faintly aware of the growl she had heard earlier.  
  
"..........Aunt Tifa, I wish you were here with me..."  
  
The water seemed to rise and whirl around in a circle like an invisible tornado was pulling up the sea in front of her, she stared at it, half anxious, half scared of what would happen once the water came up high.  
  
"Aunt Tifa?!......Cloud?"  
  
The two figures came out from the rise of water, both of them looked like they were made of smoke, but their voices proved their existance there.  
  
".......Aunt Tifa........why did you leave me........?"  
  
The clear voice of Tifa came from the shadowy figure.  
  
"I'm sorry Marlene....but I had to."  
  
"...why?"  
  
"Because Marlene.....I couldn't stay in your world, without.....Cloud. You still have your entire life ahead of you....just forget about me..."  
  
".....are you happy then Aunt Tifa?"  
  
"...yes..."  
  
"Then I guess it's okay..."  
  
"Promise me."  
  
"....but-"  
  
"No Marlene, no buts, you have to promise to go on with your life, forget about the past."  
  
"......I......I promise."  
  
"That's better, now Cloud and I had to go Marlene..."  
  
"...Goodbye Aunt Tifa and Cloud!"  
  
"Goodbye Marlene."  
  
"Hey! Say hi to Barret for me!"  
  
Marlene looked at the shadow of Cloud for a minute, then back away from the two.  
  
"I will, bye bye!!!"  
  
The water swirled up again and Marlene was thrown back, the waves crashed and the two disappeared.  
  
*********************************************************************************************************  
  
Marlene woke up to find herself on the grass, just next to the sea,  
  
"........it was all just a dream?"  
  
She looked around, there was no sign that Tifa and Cloud had ever shown up, but they had to have, didn't they?  
  
She looked up at the sky, the stars were still shinning brightly,  
  
"Yes, they did come....Aunt Tifa kept her promise."  
  
She turned around and headed back to Kalm, where her loving father waited. Now she would have to keep her promise.  
  
*********************************************************************************************************  
  
...........whoa! That was longer than I thought, oh well. That's the end of the story then everyone! 


End file.
